The Voice - Match preview #33: Bromley vs Bradford City Tuesday 25th February 2025 7:45pm

I'm with you on the point that a fit Andy Cook would add to this side and most probably would take it to another level.
I do believe though that the upturn in form proves that the combined losses of Sarcevic and Pattison for the first half of the season had a far bigger impact than the loss of Cook as they are integral to the way. We now have a mobile fluent midfield- something I don't believe we've had since the McCall nearly season.

 

Fully agree, some of the passing was a joy to watch it definitely was on another level to them !

 

For too long we've had groups of individuals (players and managers) but this, this is a Team. Just look at that togetherness. Love it.

 

Mellon hasn't done anything Cook wasn't doing except not taking his chances. Cook would absolutely fit into this side, there shouldn't even be a shred of doubt about it.

 

So on that theory you could trap the ball on your chest and then whack it away with your hand....?
Don't think so.....

 

I have no idea where this mindset that Cook couldn't play in this setup has come from? Just in his time here, he's sat deep under Adams and lead the line as a lone striker feeding off scraps. He's also played high up the field, CBs in our own half they were that high up the field, possesion based football again as a lone striker under Hughes and a spell with a partner in the diamond. He played with a partner in a 352/532 under Hughes and GA depending on Richards and Halliday to learn the wing back role sharpish for some balls into him for any type of service, again with a side either sitting deeper and going long or high pressing....... and scored goals in EVERY SINGLE TACTIC!

If Cook was fit, I'd have no doubts at all that we'd overtake Walsall.

 

Last night, I thought that we had got away with one but having seen the replay think the ref actually got it right. Have to wonder though how many refs would have given it. Think the Bromley manager will be moaning about it, wonder if he moans about our "offside" goal. Again, the replay appears to show Sarcs timed his run perfectly.

 

I think the rule was intended to stop handballs being given in instances where the ball cannons off a part of a players body, eg the knee and onto an arm where the player can't do anything about it. Debatable as to whether last night's incident falls into that sort of category though. I would certainly have been looking for a pen had it been at the other end.

 

We still could…Won’t be easy , but incidents like Hallidays free header straight to the keeper when a metre either side would have done , just need taking.

 

Hope Kavs back soon, Mellon just gives up and stands there whenever he loses the ball ...

 

On the face of things, a point away from home is never a bad thing. But playing teams like Bromley, it should be 3 points. They offered sod all pretty much all match until the last kick and we cant let games like that slide away to the last kicks. Especially come April with our tricky month, those teams wont let us have chance after chance.

 

Wha a diamond,you should name him and glorify him he deserves it

 

The original debate was with regards Cooks injury making Alexander change our style of playing and Cook could not play that system which I disagree and given why I don't believe that to be the case our far more attack minded midfield has improved the team dramatically by Pattison and Sarcevic getting regular starts even Smallwood looking for that forward pass and that's obviously to anyone who's seen Smallwood resent performances..
When Cook was fit he did his fair share of closing down etc and IMO there is no doubt the chances we've created recently (especially last night) would have been snapped up, Mellons header comes to mind.
We'll never know but I don't believe as some are suggesting Cook couldn't play this system/formation, it a shame it's a long term injury as it would have been interesting to see if Alexander would have left him out of a starting 11, now that would have been a massive call.

 

It’s not a theory, it’s literally the guidance on the laws.

In your suggested scenario, that would absolutely fit the criteria for deliberate handball.

This guidance alludes to the ball deflecting onto hand after having played it with another part of the body. In this case with Adaramola, after it hit his foot.

The guidance on this is clear and were written exactly for this sort of incident, which shouldn’t be given as handball - because as I’d hope we’d all agree under no circumstances could it be deemed deliberate.

In your scenario, it absolutely would be called deliberate.

 

They were highly disappointing in their utter predicability . Our back three handled them pretty easily imho. We all knew what was coming before kick off , we picked the team based on our knowledge , so it must have been easy for GA and CL. Stop the wide supply, stop the headed knock on, be alert to a second ball and pass through them. Job done.

 

What were you in Doctor Who time machine , another great turn out by City fans in a long journey on a Tuesday night well done mate.

 

Spot on, however once again a simple rule has been made MORE complex in the attempt to clarify.

Hand ball used to be simple. If ball hits hand then it’s no pen. If hand hits ball then it’s a pen . Stops all arguments imho.

 

Bang on the money.

 

I haven't done the stats but I'd suggest you could count them on one hand.